The late U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s son, Ted Jr., is among the names being floated as potential candidates for Connecticut U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s seat in 2012.

Kennedy, the middle child of the late senator and his former wife, Joan, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Lieberman’s seat, which the 23-year senator is giving up when his term ends next year. One Kennedy family friend called the 49-year-old attorney, who lives in Connecticut, a “great candidate.”

Earlier this month, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, lamenting the fact that for the first time in over six decades a Kennedy doesn’t hold public office in Washington, said “we need a Kennedy [in DC]” (“we” meaning “the family” I assume).

The above story might not otherwise be worth mentioning, except that fairly recently, such as in this 2009 interview with USA Today, Ted Jr. seemed open to the idea of following in his father’s political footsteps (bonus challenge: guess which part made me spit coffee halfway across the living room):

Ted Kennedy Jr., the oldest son of the late senator Edward Kennedy, answered with an intriguing “maybe” this morning when USA TODAY asked whether he’d be interested in following his famous father (and his younger brother, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I.) into politics.

Out promoting their father’s just-released memoir, True Compass, the senator’s sons did nothing to discourage speculation about the potential for another Ted Kennedy in politics.

“Maybe I’ll run for public office. I haven’t crossed that bridge yet,” Ted Jr. said.